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Treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adults and children: a closer look at the arsenal

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Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease encompasses a spectrum of disease from asymptomatic steatosis, with or without elevated aminotransferases, to cirrhosis with relative complications and hepatocellular carcinoma. Owing to the increasing prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and the potential for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis to progress to cirrhosis and liver-related mortality, more research has been focused on therapy of this important liver disease over the last two decades. To date, weight loss and physical activity represent the cornerstone of treatment, with interventions being limited to subjects at risk of disease progression, but the type of treatment remains a matter of debate. A few medications have shown promising results in preliminary pilot studies, but few agents have been tested rigorously. Today, multiple therapeutic approaches are considered the way to go in treating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis patients. In this paper we review the status of current and emerging therapeutic strategies for children and adult patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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  1. Unit of Metabolic and Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Pediatric Hospital “Bambino Gesù”, IRCCS, Square S. Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy

    Valerio Nobili

  2. Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA

    Arun J. Sanyal

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  1. Valerio Nobili
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Correspondence to Valerio Nobili.

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V. Nobili and A. J. Sanyal contributed equally to this work.

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Nobili, V., Sanyal, A.J. Treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adults and children: a closer look at the arsenal. J Gastroenterol 47, 29–36 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-011-0467-x

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